Hello, world! This blog began on September 28, 2007, and so far nobody has come looking for me with tar and feathers.
On my honor, I will do my best not to bore you. All comments are welcome as long as your discourse is civil and your language is not blue.

Happy reading, and come back often!

And whether my cup is half full or half empty, fill my cup, Lord.

Copyright 2007 - 2017 by Robert H.Brague

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Underwhelmed

As of a little past noon today, eight (8) people have responded to the test in yesterday’s Tuesday Ramblings. Two of the people didn’t even leave answers (well, Putz reiterated all of the possible answers, making it impossible to discern what his choices were). I am, as the title says, underwhelmed. Just think, Pioneer Woman would probably have received 3000 responses by now. I considered leaving the quiz open for one more day, but it turned out to be what it is and a day is a long time in the blogosphere. Be that as it may, for all six (and possibly eight) of you who are breathlessly awaiting the correct answers, here they are, along with the original questions:

The correct answer is b, Vitamin C. There are other benefits to be derived from eating cauliflower also. Since it is a cruciform vegetable (like broccoli), it has anti-carcinogenic properties as well.

2. Before the invention of the electric light, how many hours of sleep did an average American get each night?a. 8 hoursb. 10 hoursc. 12 hours

The correct answer is b, 10 hours. Today, Americans sleep, on average, 6.9 hours per night on weeknights and 7.5 hours per night on weekends. I have no idea how they came up with these statistics.

3. How many pounds of potatoes does an average American eat in one year?a. 10 poundsb. 50 poundsc. 127 pounds

The correct answer is c, 127 pounds. I know. I was shocked too. But even more shocking is the fact that for every person who eats only ten pounds of potatoes per year, there has to be another American who eats around 250 pounds of potatoes per year, which would require consuming almost five pounds of potatoes every week. It’s simple mathematics, if 127 pounds is the “average.”

4. True or false: In women who have had migraine headaches, the headaches tend to increase after menopause.a. Trueb. False

The correct answer is b, false. I got the right answer, but for the wrong reason. I thought a decrease might be related to blood circulation. But one of the triggers of migraine headaches is thought to be a high level or fluctuating level of estrogen. Ergo (as in cogito, ergo sum*), migraines tend to decrease in women after menopause.

Thanks to each and every one of you for participating. It appears that people in England (Yorkie and Jay) remember their lessons better than Americans, or at least are better guessers, unless you live in Arkansas.

It may be a long time before I try to do another quiz!

*I think, therefore I am. --René Descartes. I like my own twist on Descartes’ saying better: I am, therefore I think.

14 comments:

I thought it was a very interesting quiz, and am pleased that I guessed 100% correctly.

You shouldn't compare yourself to Pioneer Woman, RWP. After all, on her "quizzes" she gives away mega-buck gift cards, or computers and printers, or high-end cameras, and stuff like that. What do we get from you? Answers. Answers, my friend, are blowing in the wind. :)

I have to apologize for the comment of "go stir your latte"! I am oregontribal1 a.k.a Teresa. I'm glad you got a kick out of my comment....I'm a country gal and I say it like I feel it even if my voice trembles. I honestly didn't mean to hurt any feelings?? Hope you can forgive me??

Teresa, you don't have anything to apologize for! I had absolutely no hurt feelings, and there's nothing to forgive! (To those of you going "Huh?", this exchange arose from some comments on another blog.)

i thought it was also a good quiz also amd am pleased that i answered 100%[IN MY OWN DILUTED MIND] ya if you would have offered a prise i would have been more willing to go for it instead of playing dementia...

I'm sorry I missed your quiz. Looking through your posts, it appears I've missed quite a lot of things. I've been so busy I've been neglecting my blogging friends horribly, but you've had some real interesting posts. I wanted to say thank you for having the courage to comment on Ruth's post - Ruth is always kind about differences of opinion, but it still takes courage to differ in a comments section. I agree with you, by the way, and I left a short comment, but the comments section isn't big enough for a proper discussion!

I wanted you to know... I took your advice about the story! Kind of on a whim, actually. congratulations on your success there! I looked for your stories and couldn't find them. We'll see what happens! thanks for the encouragement.

Mine are entitled "Silver" and "Florabelle Oxley" and are in their archives under September 2006 and June 2007, respectively. To read them, go back to the place you submitted yours but instead of clicking on "Share your story" click instead on "Browse the evergrowing collection" and then on the correct month.

I really like your story! Good luck!

(Note to other readers of these comments: For a fun read, go to Tracie's blog (www.rosezilla.blogspot.com) and read her October 27th post, "Leslie and the Aliens" -- you'll be glad you did!)

Jay, you is English, I is English, everybody are English* (although that last one probably sounds all right to you. The English and the Americans don't agree on the number (as in person, case, and number) of collective nouns. You can't imagine how strange it sounds to American ears to hear the Queen say, "My government are..." whatever her government are doing.

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About me

has lived on earth for 76 years and has been married for 54 of those years to Ellie, his wife. They have two sons, one daughter, the appropriate assortment of in-laws, and six absolutely magnificent grandchildren. He enjoys reading, playing the piano, driving in the country, sitting by the ocean, watching birds fly, gazing into a roaring fire, holding his wife's hand, and spending time with his grandchildren. He doesn't fancy doing yard work, walking a dog who definitely is not in the mood, or cleaning up after one who is (RIP Jethro, 2004-2013).

Me, circa 2010 (with Mrs. RWP)

A reader in Oregon has requested a current photograph. For the thick of skull, I want to say that I am not exceedingly tall nor is Mrs. RWP exceedingly short. She is sitting in a chair; I am standing behind her and slightly to her right, your left. I am nothing if not thorough. Handsome and thorough. Exceedingly intelligent, very handsome, and thorough. I forgot humble.

Me, circa 1943

A few months before this photograph was taken, I fell through a hole in a chain link fence in New York City and landed on my head on a school’s cement playground that was six feet below sidewalk level. I had a brain concussion. Some people think this helps explain why I am the way I am today. Other people insist nothing can explain why I am the way I am today.

Poem by a Yorkshire Lad

Song for Lost Youth

Perhaps I should have cradled it
Like a dove
Kept it safe with tender love
But I squandered it -
Gushing-blundering-raging
Like a wild mountain stream
Desperate for an ocean
That was but a distant dream.
...I just never thought
That I could have loitered in the shallows
Reflecting the blueness of the sky
- Concealing silver fishes
- Quietly biding my time
- Stretching it out.
And so, and so it's gone now
- My ephemeral youth
- That precious once only gift
- That honeyed sweetness,
Leaving only the trembling resonance
Of distant echoes
From half-remembered hills.